Gill began her career in archaeology and conservation in Merseyside in the 1970s, before working as senior archaeologist for the Greater London Council’s Historic Buildings Division, then moving to English Heritage to the Historic Properties team for the Midlands region. She returned to Lancashire in 1990 as an independent consultant, working across the northern region on industrial heritage, regeneration, community and landscape research projects. Moving to York in 2004, she joined the Council for British Archaeology as Head of Conservation, leading advocacy for public archaeology and locally-led conservation. 

Most recently, as a senior lecturer in the University of York, her research focussed on community engagement in heritage conservation. She recently retired as Reader in Conservation Studies and Associate Dean for Arts & Humanities and is currently an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Archaeology.

Gill has a keen interest in the conservation of heritage landscapes, urban and rural, by and for their communities. She is a Trustee of a York charity supporting training in heritage craft and conservation and continues to research and write, currently co-producing a volume on integrated approaches to managing natural and cultural heritage.